New Delhi, Sep 11 (NationPress) A recent study published in The Lancet reveals that while fatalities resulting from chronic illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, and stroke have diminished in many nations, a significant 60 percent of countries experienced a slower rate of decline.

In collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), researchers from Imperial College London, UK, conducted an analysis of the mortality risk associated with chronic diseases across 185 countries and territories.

The findings indicated that between 2010 and 2019, the likelihood of dying from a chronic illness before the age of 80 decreased in four out of five countries—specifically in 152 (or 82 percent) of nations for women and in 147 (or 79 percent) for men.

However, in nearly two-thirds of countries, progress was either slowed, stalled, or even reversed compared to the previous decade.

Alarmingly, in India, the risk of dying from chronic diseases rose from 2010 to 2019 for both genders, with women facing a greater increase in risk. The study highlighted that deaths from most chronic disease causes escalated, with heart disease and diabetes being major contributors.

Additionally, China demonstrated similar declines to Japan and South Korea across various age groups and causes of death, despite starting with a higher mortality rate. Notably, China recorded the most significant reduction in deaths attributed to COPD, often linked to smoking and air pollution, among countries with reliable data.

Professor Majid Ezzati from the School of Public Health at Imperial College London stated, “Many countries’ effective healthcare programs, such as diabetes, hypertension, and cholesterol medications, alongside timely cancer screenings and heart attack treatments, may not be reaching those who need them most, leaving them vulnerable within the health system.”

He added, “To return to the rapid improvements we witnessed in the early millennium, investment in healthcare programs and tobacco and alcohol control policies proven effective in reducing mortality rates is essential.”

In most nations, a decline in deaths from cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes, contributed significantly to the overall reduction in chronic disease mortality. Furthermore, decreases in fatalities from various cancers—such as stomach, colorectal, cervical, breast, lung, and prostate cancers—also aided in lowering mortality rates.

Conversely, increases in deaths from dementia, other neuropsychiatric conditions (including alcohol use disorder), and specific cancers (like pancreatic and liver cancers) counterbalanced these gains.

The research team underscored the urgent necessity to expand health policies and care guidelines, ensuring access to preventative medications, early cancer detection screenings, and comprehensive treatment and support services for long-term conditions like diabetes and acute incidents like strokes or heart attacks.